The Bride Price
by Robe a la Anglaise
Summary: Higurashi Kentaro, a brand-new father, gets a surprise invitation from his boss: Sesshoumaru is tired of waiting, and Kentaro isn't going to like what he has to say. Sesshoumaru/Kagome, oneshot, romance


**A/N: Just a little oneshot that randomly came to me. There are a couple of slightly odd technology references but keep in mind that Kagome would have been born in the early 80's if you take the manga's start date, and even if you say she's 15 _now_, she would have been born in the mid 90's, when things like cell phones were still a luxury and caller-ID was just making its way into the mainstream.**

**Disclaimer: The following story is written for entertainment purposes only. Characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.**

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**The Bride Price**

Higurashi Kentaro had never been a particularly ambitious man. He wanted a good, solid job so he could provide for his loved ones, but he wasn't particularly interested in climbing the corporate ladder. The higher one rose the more time one had to spend in the office and away from home. He knew he was good at his job, a decent, solid employee who would be welcome at numerous companies. Even with these considerations in mind he was full of nerves when a memo was left on his desk informing him that the CEO and president had requested to see him A.S.A.P.

President Taisho-sama should have no need to see someone of his level.

The exhaustion of new fatherhood was likely playing into the tangle of unpleasant emotions roiling in his chest as he rode the elevator to the top floor and exited into the plushly carpeted, wood-paneled corporate suite. His daughter had a touch of colic, and had kept the house up until nearly four in the morning.

Still half-hoping this had all been some sort of mistake, his heart sank a little when he gave his name to the woman behind the huge reception desk and she nodded in recognition. It felt a bit like his fate was being sealed when she picked up her phone, pressed a button and said, "Taisho-sama, Higurashi Kentaro from marketing is here."

A moment later the phone was back in its cradle and with a polite smile the woman informed him, "He's ready for you. Go right in."

Kentaro was barely aware of walking to the tall wooden door and knocking politely. "Er- Taisho-sama," He bowed deeply when he stepped into the huge office. He'd never met the man of course, he was one of the most powerful men in Japan, and Kentaro was just a mid-level salary man.

His first impression as he stepped into Taisho's office was that the man was much younger than he'd initially thought. Kentaro had only ever seen him from a distance, on news spots, and in grainy newspaper photos. He'd assumed from the head of silver hair and vast business empire that the man must be at least middle aged. Now, standing only a few yards from him he was surprised to see that Taisho looked about contemporary to him in age, if not a little younger.

His features might be Japanese, but his coloring was not. The man regarded him coolly through disconcerting golden eyes and Kentaro suddenly felt like the hare fleeing from the bird of prey, or the fox not daring to move a muscle lest it draw the attention of the hounds.

"Higurashi-san." Taisho gave a sharp flick of his wrist to indicate that Kentaro should sit, "I understand congratulations are in order."

"Congratulations, sir?"

"I have been informed that you recently became a father. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter."

"Ah – er, thank you Taisho-sama." Kentaro bowed again. Had he really been called up for this? Surely it wasn't standard procedure for a business magnate to personally congratulate every employee on the birth of their children.

A folder which looked suspiciously like his personnel file was spread open in front of Taisho. Kentaro darted a glance at it as an awkward silence descended, but the reports looked entirely different from what was in a standard employee report. Briefly, fear resurfaced; now was not the best time to get fired, not with a brand new baby at home, an aging father, and a wife who had quit her teaching job when she discovered her approaching motherhood. Sure enough though, Kentaro could see his ID photo clipped to the front of the file folder. When he noticed the direction of the Kentaro's interest, Taisho flipped the folder closed and crossed his hands over it. Kentaro tried to reassure himself that if he _was_ going to get fired, it certainly wasn't going to be by the CEO

"Your residence is a shrine I understand."

The segue seemed so out of the blue that for a moment Kentaro sat in silent confusion before finding his voice, "Oh, yes Taisho-sama. My family has tended the shrine for at least five generations." A little pride colored his tone at this, the shrine was one of the reasons that he didn't want to lose himself to work. He loved the shrine, and wanted to see his family grow there.

Taisho's eyes regarded Kentaro steadily, "It is difficult, is it not, in this day and age for shrines to generate enough revenue to cover their costs?"

Embarrassment flared in Kentaro's chest, mostly because this assessment was true. Most shrines struggled; it was why so many of them were now either publicly owned or run by the government.

"Your pride is not unwarranted. There is something to be said for keeping the old ways alive." Taisho paused a long moment, "This is yours," he leaned forward to slide a check across the desk and Kentaro's eyes almost popped out. There were a lot of zeros on that check. Enough zeros to ease his mind in regards to the shrine for years to come. They could make improvements they'd been putting off. Marketing promotions. His family wouldn't have to move. Kentaro's embarrassment only deepened. The shrine had received significant monetary gifts in the past (though nothing like _this!_) – but donors were usually quiet or even anonymous. He had no idea how to behave in the face of such open generosity.

"Th-thank you Taisho-sama!"

"I will also be making annual donations to help sustain the shrine's operations."

"Taisho-sama, there is no way to express gratitude enough for such generous patronage!"

"I believe you misunderstand," Taisho murmured, "I myself have a keen interest in the old ways." He gestured at the check, and sharp eyes held Kentaro still, "This is not patronage. Consider it a bride price, an offering in advance."

"A bride price?"

"Compensation for your family's loss of your daughter."

Kentaro was struck dumb. Surely he had misheard or misunderstood Taisho-sama.

"I don't… but …" he laughed nervously, "you have to be kidding! Kagome is less than a month old, this is a joke."

"I am not in jest."

The forced smile slipped from Kentaro's face and his brow began to furrow, "What kind of sicko are you? You're what, 30 years older than her? And she's just an infant! You can't possibly think I'm going to sell my infant daughter to a complete stranger!"

Despite Kentaro's rising anger Taisho remained calm and unaffected, "Your daughter may have not yet met me, but I have known her for centuries. I first met Kagome over 500 years ago Higurashi-san."

Kentaro stared. His initial assessment was correct. His boss was sick in the 'certifiable' sort of way.

"In fifteen years your daughter will fall down the well on your shrine grounds and through a rip in time into the past. When she falls back through the well for the final time this Sesshoumaru will be there to catch her. Do not make the mistake of thinking I am asking your permission – I am _telling_ you what will be. Kagome will be mine. I will catch her, I will sooth what is broken, and when the last of childhood is behind her I will make her_ mine._"

Kentaro shot to his feet, fury and indignation nearly choking him, "I would _**never**_ sell my daughter no matter how much you offered and… and, what you're talking about – time travel, immortality, it's impossible - you're absolutely insane."

The silver haired man snorted and rose to his feet with a languid grace that made it seem he barely moved at all (although Kentaro _knew_ he'd watched him go from sitting to towering over his desk). Kentaro felt reality in the room _shift_. Taisho suddenly looked _different_, otherworldly, alien, and his presence expanded to fill the space of the office, to press down on Kentaro. Even if he refused to believe his eyes Kentaro somehow instinctively _knew_ that he was in the presence of something not entirely human. When Taisho spoke again, his voice remained the same calm intonation, but this time there was _warning_ behind it, "I have lived the span of a hundred human lives, I have seen the rise of humans from weak worthless vermin to the dominant species on the planet, I have seen the dawn of a dozen eras of human history, transferring Kagome's affection from my br-" his nostrils flared, the first visible sign of emotion, but it was fleeting, "transferring her affection to me will be _easy_. And she _will_ love me. It is her nature to love."

The _wrongness_ that had pervaded the room and left Kentaro shivering in atavistic fear receded.

Taisho returned to his seat, "Do not worry Higurashi-san, your daughter will be the most treasured woman in Japan, she will want for nothing, she will be the pampered, adored wife and mate of one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world – what father can promise his daughter even a tenth so much? Rest assured I will not coerce her - I have waited hundreds of years, waiting a score more will be nothing."

Kentaro swallowed heavily, "I … I don't even know what you are. Why shouldn't I just take my family and leave?"

Something dark crossed Taisho's face, "I would find you. There is nowhere you could go that I would not find you. And you would not enjoy the repercussions of running from me. As to what I am – "A smirk crossed his lips, "I am something humans have forgotten to fable and fairytales. Beyond that, I am the man who loves your daughter. That is all you need know."

Kentaro swallowed heavily.

"Take it." Taisho indicated the check again.

Kentaro stiffened, "You can't honestly expect me to …for all your pretty words…this is my _daughter_ we're talking about!"

"Your indignation is admirable, but unnecessary. Kagome will be forced into nothing. You and your family will not be harassed. You may leave my employ if you wish, you never need see me again, I won't even _make _you accept the money. But you may not leave the shrine."

"You aren't going to force Kagome to marry you?"

Taisho snorted dismissively, "Your daughter will grow to be a powerful miko Higurashi-san; I could not force her to do _anything_ against her inclination. Take the check, and give your daughter a good life until I can take that responsibility on myself."

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As if the door closing on Higurashi's back was a cue, Sesshoumaru's desk phone started ringing.

"Taisho."

"Oi, fuckface,"

Not for the first time Sesshoumaru found himself thinking that someone should invent a way of showing who was calling so an informed decision could be made of whether or not to answer the phone. He made a mental note to talk to someone in product development about that.

"Kagome wants to know if – aww hell woman I _am_ asking nicely – "

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes to better ignore his brother's noisy ranting and focus on the sound of his sister-in-law's voice in the background. Even dulled by the electronic interference of the phone, her voice caused a sharp pang of longing and need in his chest. Just a few more years. A few more lonely years and then she _would_ be his. He hadn't lied exactly, it would be relatively easy to transfer her affection from Inuyasha to himself, but it would take coaxing and subterfuge. She was still so very, very young when the battle had ended. He would have to wait a few years more after that. But then he would pursue her with every seductive weapon in his arsenal.

It had been some time after her final return to the feudal era before Sesshoumaru realized that what he felt for her wasn't just respect and grudging admiration. By then it had been too late; she was mated to his brother, and blissfully unaware that the crass, tactless hanyou didn't deserve to lick the ground she walked on. For hundreds of years he had bided his time, realizing that time would provide him the chance his own cluelessness had denied him the first time around.

This time it would be him, and not his worthless half brother who won the miko. He would gladly give her the pups his brother could not and show her what it was to be truly loved and respected.

Sesshoumaru turned in his leather chair to look out at Tokyo.

Fuck paradoxes. This time things _would_ end differently, even if he had to rewrite his own history to do it. This time they would end in _his _favor.

-END-

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***Closing note – I don't hate Inuyasha and usually don't like it when people make him really unpleasant, but since the end bit was from Sess's POV and he's been nursing a grudge about losing the girl for the last several centuries I figured he wouldn't be too complimentary towards his half brother.**

***Peace y'all***


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